Rock Center
From families with Flip Cams to a makeup artist posting tutorials online, an increasing number of people are turning their YouTube stardom into profit-making brands.
A screen grab of Colette Butler and her two daughters from an episode of the family's web series, the "Shaytards."
Shay and Colette Butler, along with their four children, created a daily YouTube video series in 2007, The "Shaytards," that’s now watched by nearly a million people regularly. The series’ popularity has earned the Butlers a significant amount of money.
“The first check that we got, that was like that’s the biggest paycheck we’ve ever gotten before,” Shay Butler told NBC News’ Josh Mankiewicz.
YouTube sells the ads that appear on Shay Butler’s page and then splits the money with them every month. Shay Butler wouldn’t tell NBC News what he earns, but estimates put it at $15,000 to $20,000 a month. Butler has also made deals directly with companies like General Electric.
NBC News
Shay Butler filming one of his children for his family's lucrative YouTube video series, the "Shaytards."
The Butlers aren't alone. An entire industry is sprouting up to help people create profitable YouTube Channels. Shay, himself, co-founded Maker Studio in Los Angeles, Calif. The studio produces more than 160 hours of online TV watched by more than 5 million regular viewers. They help produce the content on more than 400 YouTube channels.
“I feel like we’re creating the future of entertainment. I feel like we’re creating something new and that’s exciting to me,” said Lisa Donovan, a co-founder of Maker.
Michelle Phan hasn’t had to utilize the help of a studio like Maker. Her makeup tutorials uploaded to her YouTube channel took off and she’s garnered half a billion views in 2012 alone. The 25-year-old’s YouTube stardom has led to a deal with Lancome and a contract with one of Hollywood’s most powerful talent agencies, Creative Artists Agency.
NBC News
Michelle Phan's makeup tutorials posted on YouTube have led to deals with Lancome and a top Hollywood agency.
“I make enough where I can support my entire family, retire my mom, she never has to work a day in her life ever again,” Phan said.
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Woah shay said a curse word
I was thinking the same thing...but he has said a curse word in the vlogs
I know this is a job for shay. I started noticing behaviors that would have made child protection service called. He is trying hard to keep his viewers happy. He throws his kids up really high. While videoing the baby climb up on top of a baseball cage. one day those kids will get hurt. he is using his kids to keep getting paid. shame on you shay. kids getting out of their seat belts when they are on highways. shay driving with one arm while driving. is that a safe for his family? hell no.
Your agreement is invalid
1.) Shay is the co-owner of Makers Studio and by that alone he can quit vlogging.
2.) "Throwing kids" in your vocabulary is just merely a bonding moment for them- i think every NORMAL people have experience that with their Father whether the child get injured or not it their responsibility - at the end of the day your just a person watching the life of other people.
3.) Vlogging while driving - i agree with this- but who are we to tell other people what to do? I dont live where they live and i dont know the traffic rules in their location - but i think shay is not that dumb to act as if he doesn't know the rules - i will tell you (he knows what he is doing )
4) "Is that safe fof his family" - who are you to tell others what is good for his family. we all have our family culture that seems to be pleasing to others
2 Things
*when you are part of that family you just have to deal with it,
*and if your not a part of that family - JUST SHUT UP
well over 50% of drivers only have one hand on the wheel most of the time. so what he throws his kid in the air, most people i know have done that with their children, the kids enjoy that and the parent never over does it and knows how hard/high he can toss the child and still be able to catch them. shay and collette were both distracted by another child when rocktard climbed the cage, who hasnt climbed something when they were little. i started climbing trees once i had enouggh arm strength to hang on and the only thing that stopped me was when i couldn't reach a higher branch. yes i fell out a few times. so what, a bump here bruise there. and yes the kid unbuckles his belt in the car. its not like they just toss them in and drive away, they make sure he's buckled, but if a child can figure out how to work some sort of cantraption they will continue to do it. they tell him to buckle it up, even get the other kids to do it for him. stop being such a whinny little girl "ooo im gonna call CPS on him because he is a bad parent" just because you didnt have a dad growing up doesnt mean you have to bash a guy because he is a good dad
one day those kids will get hurt by him throwing them way high or in shallow water. he drives with one hand ...well they both do. their baby climbed up to the top of a baseball cage. all for the sake of a paycheck shay and collette? shame on you ...using your kids as if they are money makers.
You are overeacting. Yes, Shay throws his kids quite high up into the air, but never in a unsafe maner. Also, the cage climbing scene? Momytard didn't notice Rocktard climbing up that high as she was focussing on P/B Tard. As a parrent you can't always 100% check upon what your kids are doing. And the seatbelt thing? You can't help a 2 year old releasing himself and they always correct Rocktard on that.
Noone is a perfect parrent. Kids get hurt sometimes. I'd rather see kids having fun and hurting themselves somethimes then putting them into a bubble because you are oh so afraid of them getting hurt. And who are you to correct them in this way about parrenting? If you don't like what they do, don't watch them! Or just skip through the "bad parrenting" parts and only watch the parts YOU enjoy.
JP, The Netherlands
I am at the far end of the Shaytards viewing demographic (50's) and I am delighted to say I have been watching their vlogs for 3.5 years. I look forward everyday to "sharing" in their abundant love, joy and laughter. They have given me a taste of a happy childhood- one that I personally never had. I rely on their daily vlogs to unwind after a hard day the way some people rely on a glass or two of wine. They deserve every bit of success that comes their way!
I've been watching the Shaytards since the very first vlog. It was crazy and cool to see how this family lived everyday. I didn't understand at the time why it was so appealing but now I realize that it's a nice escape from all the crap that happens in your day. Along with that I didn't have a great family experience growing up. Watching these videos have given me that. They've taught me a lot along the way as well. I met Shay and Colette in Nashville and they were the sweetest people in the world. They're the exact same in real life as they are in the vlogs. The first thing Colette said to me was, "You're so pretty!" and I was comfortable enough around Shay that I just joked with him. I've been watching everyday since the very beginning and I'm going to continue to watch until the very end. Love the Shaytards!
I've been watching Shay and his family since the early days of his videos...you know WAY BEFORE YOUTUBE EVERY PAID ANYONE FOR MAKING VIDEOS! I can't stand it when people say that they are doing things that put the kids in harm or that are different than what they would do if there wasn't money to be made. Shay slid off of his roof in the snow onto the trampoline on the ground, drove a motorcycle through his house and threw "babytard" in the air (which ended up on a cd cover) WAY BEFORE THERE WAS EVER AN OPTION TO GET PAID! It's crazy for people to say that they act the way they do for the money...watch some of the videos in the first year and you will see that they have been doing the same types of things that they doing now but used to do it for free. If you don't like what they do don't watch. It's that simple.
I am a little disappointed that this article only talks about how Yotube let people make money by making videos instead of why people are drawn to watch the Shaytards. You shoud do an interview with the Butler family and find out why people watch his videos. He has other channels too shaycarl, shayloss, iphonetards and the podcasts WTKGTS on youtube and itunes.
How awesome to see the Shaytards from the "outside". But this doesn't do justice to who they are and the things they do. There are better clips and so much more to say. Anyway I liked it. Love Shaytards!
the kids names are the worst kept secret on the internet. just google it